Julian Assange is a political prisoner simply because he exposed US military and other war crimes, human rights abuses and corruption in the futile US-led wars in Afghanistan and Iraq. His continued incarceration in Belmarsh Prison and his threatened extradition to the US, is a threat not only to him but to all journalists, editors and publishers, to the cause of investigative journalism, to press freedom and to freedom of speech generally.
The appeal hearing brought by the US Government against the decision by a British court not to extradite Julian to the US will be held on 27 & 28 October.
If he is extradited he faces a prison sentence of up to 175 years.
There are campaigns happening around the world to get him released.
Will you join the campaign here in Ireland?
The open letter to Simon Coveney has been endorsed so far by Mairead Corrigan Maguire, Denis Halliday, Christy Moore, Sinéad Cusack, Stephen Rea, Medea Benjamin, Eamonn Mc Cann, Bernadette Mc Alliskey, Dr. Harry Browne, Raymond Deane, Trevor Joyce, John F. Deane, Honor Heffernan, Dr. Ronit Lentin, Prof. Ray Kinsella, Peader King and elected politicians Brid Smith, Richard Boyd Barrett, Paul Murphy, Clare Daly, Mick Wallace, Paul Gavan, David Norris, Thomas Pringle, Chris Andrews and Melisa Halpin.
Here is the link to the full letter -
http://irishantiwar.org/node/2786
